Work Text:
“Yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
You walk out the doors to Quantico High School, waving goodbye to your friend Ethan as you start your walk to the train station. It’s like any other day, where you’ll head over to Quantico and meet your father, Aaron, stay at the BAU for a bit, and head home a little earlier to see Jack. You adore Jack, your younger brother is a welcome break from the stress of high school, and he gives you a chance to relax and build LEGO with him.
If only it was that simple.
As you walk down the street, earphones in, you don’t notice the boy following you, his long greasy hair hiding his face as he drives a beat up truck. He stalks you, and when he gets close enough, he grabs you around the chest.
“Get off!”
You gasp, earphones falling out as you try to turn to see your attacker. You can’t think, you don’t know what to do. Your uncles have taught you self-defence but it’s gone out the window. You have no idea what to do.
You can’t think.
You struggle, pulling and pushing against the boy, but when you feel something sharp enter the side of your neck, you know it’s game over. With a final attempt, you hit against him, your legs going weak.
“That’s it. Just sleep. Everything’s going to be fine.”
—•—
Hotch sits at his desk, pen in hand as he fills out yet more paperwork. It feels like a never ending pile and since things are a little quiet, he decided now’s a good time to catch up. The BAU are helping local police investigate a series of murders around the Virginia area. They’ve delivered the profile—a white male between fifteen to twenty, probably a local, and feels like an outsider—so now all they can do it wait for him to strike again. They trudged through the high schools and no one seemed to stand out so they ruled them out.
“What’s wrong?”
Rossi’s at Hotch’s office door, leaning on the frame with a stack of files in his arms. Until he said that, Hotch hadn’t realised how tense he was. Rossi’s right; something’s wrong, but Hotch can’t seem to place what it is. That is until he looks at the clock. It’s five o’clock.
You’re normally here by now, talking to Emily or asking Spencer for help with your chemistry homework. He sighs and sets his pen down.
“Y/N’s late. They’re normally here by now,” he answers, flexing his hand slightly. Rossi looks at the clock and comes to the same conclusion.
“Hotch, they’re a teenager. They’re probably hanging out with their friends and forgot to text you. I’m sure they’re fine,” he reassures him. Hotch shakes his head.
“No, they know there’s a murderer out and about. They’re always careful,” he replies, checking his phone once again. Nothing.
“Hotch, they’ll be fine.” Rossi walks over and hands him a stack of files, gives him a reassuring nod, and leaves back to his own office. Hotch nods, mulling over his friend’s words. Yeah, you’ve just forgot to tell him. A text won’t hurt.
Dad
Hey kiddo, where are you? Just want to make sure you’re okay.
And he waits.
—•—
It’s six o’clock and Garcia’s eyes are wide as she storms into the bullpen, laptop in hand. Everyone’s heads snap up, watching her. They’ve never seen her in such a rush before. She doesn’t stop, instead gesturing to the briefing room with a sharp nod. No one dare question it, not when she’s like this.
She practically runs into Hotch’s office, not bothering to knock as she stands opposite him.
“Aaron, you need to see this. Now,” she orders. Hotch raises his eyebrows; she never calls him Aaron at work, only ever sir or Hotch. “Briefing room.”
He says nothing, following the technical analyst to the room and taking a seat with the rest of his team. They all exchange glances—something’s wrong. Very, very wrong.
“What is it baby girl?” Derek asks. Garcia connects the laptop to the screen, closing windows running various programs until it’s on a video.
“I’ve found something. They’ve uploaded a video of their latest victim.” As she tells them, tears spring to her eyes. “It’s someone we know.”
Everyone sits up, dreading the answer. Hotch knows. He already does.
As the video plays, the team hear the pained yell of a teenager and a smack. Then, the unsub moves, revealing their victim, who’s tied to a chair and crying, blood dripping down their nose and onto their white t-shirt.
The room’s silent, transfixed on the victim.
You.
Garcia lets the video play, tears visibly falling down her face as the team hear you wincing and groaning as you’re hit again and again. Eventually, it cuts out, much to the relief of everyone around the table.
“How long will it take to find where the video came from?” Hotch asks, quickly standing up. Garcia stutters a little.
“Erm, I’m tracing it now. I-It’s taking me a-a while. This guy used military-grade-“
“I don’t care!” Hotch snaps, turning to face her. “You’re the tech analyst, this is your job, now do it!”
Garcia nods. “I-I’m running everything I’ve got at it, sir.”
He nods and sits down.
“If they’ve got Y/N it means they must know them, or at least their connection to us,” Morgan concludes as Garcia takes a seat next to him. Everyone looks at him. “Y/N doesn’t fit the MO of all the other victims. This is a personal attack.”
Rossi nods. “It’s someone at their school.”
—•—
You look up at your captor, one eye swelling shut.
“Why? What’ve I done to you, Simon?” You almost beg, blood dribbling from your mouth a little. Simon turns around, green eyes full of…something. You can’t tell what, but it certainly isn’t friendship and kindness.
“I see you,” he seethes and you shake your head, confusion filling you up. “You’re always with that group of yours. I see how you laugh and make comments.”
“Not about you,” you weakly protest. “We keep our jokes in the group. We don’t make fun of others.”
“Exactly!” Simon yells. “It’s always you and your little group. Do you know how it feels to be on the outside? I don’t have a group! I just need you.”
“Me? W-Why me?”
“You’re the moodmaker. You’re the one who starts the discussions, the one who checks on all your friends. I want that.”
“All you had to do was ask.”
You’re trying to keep him talking. You just need Simon to monologue a little longer, at least until your phone can send Penelope your information. When you started coming to the BAU, Aaron made sure your GPS was set up to send an emergency signal if you press the power button three times. Simon tied your legs around your thighs, where your phone’s in your front pocket. If you can just…
Got it.
—•—
It’s been an hour since the video was uploaded. Now, the team’s working as hard as they can. Jack’s at the office too, sitting with Spencer and distracted by his DS. It had to happen—the babysitter can’t stay all night and as long as he’s here, he can get something to eat and he’s safe.
“Guys! I have a hit!” Garcia yells out to the group, making them all rejoin her in the briefing room. Hotch is first though the door.
“Where are they?”
“Warehuse in Dumfries. I’ve sent the coordinates to your phones.”
“Okay. Jack buddy?” His son looks up at him, “I need you to stay with Garcia, okay? She’ll keep you company.”
Jack nods. “Are you going to get Y/N?”
Hotch’s brow creases. “How’d you know that kiddo?”
“I heard some people talking about Y/N going missing when I went to the toilet with Spencer,” he explains. Hotch sighs and crouches down.
“Yeah. We’re going to save Y/N from the bad guy.”
Suddenly, there’s a rush of adrenaline through Hotch as he heads to kit up, the others following suit and saying bye to Jack. Before he can pull a bulletproof vest on, though, Rossi stops him.
“Stay here. You’re too involved in the case,” he asks.
“Dave, that’s my child in there!” He argues. Rossi nods.
“And you’ve got one here, too. You’ll end up killing the unsub on sight and then face federal charges,” he tries to explain. Hotch shakes his head, strapping up the rest of his vest.
“I can’t leave them,” he replies.
“And you can’t leave Jack either.” He pauses. “Give me your gun.”
“What?” Hotch raises and eyebrow.
“Hotch, give me your gun. You go in last and you don’t touch the unsub, you don’t talk to him. Let us get him in handcuffs and walk him out, and then you can see Y/N.”
He mulls over this for a bit before nodding, handing Rossi his gun as they get in the SUV. They race to the scene, making sure to keep the sirens off so they don’t alert the unsub of their presence. As they get out, Morgan comes up with a strategy.
“Okay, Prentiss, you and I will lead, Rossi and JJ either side. Hotch, you stay at the back. Spencer, can you cover him?” The genius nods, hands going to rest on the gun in it’s holster at his side. “Let’s go.”
The group creep to the front door and in an instant, Morgan’s slid it open and running in, the others following. They get to a small room with the door closed. A door separates you and Hotch.
Morgan kicks it down, pointing his gun directly at the unsub.
“FBI! Keep your hands where I can see them!”
Simon’s hands shoot up and quickly, Prentiss cuffs him and starts to read him his rights as she takes him out, Morgan and JJ following. Hotch’s eyes land on you. You’re bloody. Your shirt’s stained a dark red and one of your eyes has swollen shut.
“D-Dad?”
Aaron runs over, relief washing over him as he fumbles with the ropes tying you to the chair.
“Yeah, yeah it’s me. You’re okay, you’re okay. I’ve got you. You’re safe now.”
As Dave and Spencer undo the ropes, you almost fall into your dad’s arms. Aaron picks you up, holding you close, muttering soft ‘everything’s okay’ to you, though he can’t tell who it’s for. “Reid, do they need to go to the hospital?”
Spencer looks you over in Aaron’s arms and shakes his head. “Their nose isn’t broken. There’ll just be a lot of bruising.” Aaron nods and thanks him as you head to the SUV. Dave and Spencer get in the front as Aaron sits in the back, you lying next to him with your head on his lap. Aaron plays with your hair, bringing both of you comfort as you pull up to the BAU.
“You’re getting checked out here, okay? Then we can go home,” Aaron reassures you. You nod and let your dad pick you up, carrying you up to the bullpen. Security’s a breeze and as you get to the lift, you feel as though you can walk in. Aaron keeps his arm around you and Spencer opens the doors, quickly going to get a chair for you to sit on.
“Y/N!”
You look up and tears come to your eyes as you see Jack running to you. You bend down, ignoring the searing pain as Jack tackles you in a hug. The young boy cries a little.
“Daddy said you were taken by the bad guy,” he cries. You shush him with a small smile.
“I was buddy, but I’m back. I’m okay,” you reassure. Jack nods into your chest and immediately gets up, grabbing your hand and pulling you to the briefing room to show you the Pokémon he’s caught. You laugh a little, and after Aaron tells Jack to be a little more careful, you all sit in the briefing room.
Everything’s okay again.